It seems 2006 had an unusual amount of deaths. Not only did I lose my father this past year, also at least five other lj users I can think of off the top of my head lost someone they knew in the past year.

I'm tempted to go on to the more famous deaths, and I will. Although, now that I've brought up the most morbid webpage I have bookmarked (one that keeps track of the mortal status of celebrities and lists if they are still with us or have shuffled off this mortal coil), this doesn't strike me as the good idea it was before I started writing this.

Anyway, some of the famous whose passing deserves note in my opinion:

Gerald Ford - I was just a kid when he took over from Nixon. My strongest memory of him is his falling down Air force One's stairs. I also learned something from him postmortem. If I ever tell anyone not to reveal an opinion I have after my death, I will be sure to specify waiting at least 6 months after I'm gone. I have a feeling when Ford told that reporter not to disclose his opinion on Bush's policy until after his death, he didn't mean the moment of his death. I think that reporter may have to answer to a higher power for not meeting the spirit of Pres. Ford's meaning; even if he did meet the letter of it. A person's death wish(es) should be sacrosanct to the spirit of its meaning first and foremost.

Freddy Fender - His version of Feliz Navidad invokes memories of one of my favorite high school teachers who the week before Christmas break each year would always blast that song from his classroom between classes.

Pat Corley - When it was in first run, I liked the Murphy Brown television show and his character of Phil, the bartender on that show, was one of my favorites.

Red Buttons - What can I say about him? I'll keep it simple and just say he was one of the golden age of radio's greats.

Jack Palance - Curly in the movie City Slickers is how I'll remember him, although I really became a fan of his when he did the one armed push up at the Oscars.

Moose - the dog on the TV show Frasier. I think I laughed at his antics more than the people actors on that show.

Buck Owens - He'll always be "pickin' and a grinnin'" on Hee Haw.

Jack Wild - He may have been the Artful Dodger in the movie Oliver!, but I'll remember him as Jimmy in H. R. Puffnstuf, one of my favorite shows as a kid.

Shelly Winters - In her later years she was known for her stories of Hollywood. That is how I'll remember her -- On the Tonight Show talking with Johnny Carson about whatever memories she wanted to share. Usually those memories were delivered in a very humorous way. If you are of my age or younger, you prob. wouldn't remember her as a screen goddess. However, in her younger years she was stunningly beautiful and a very fine actress.

Lou Rawls - His wonderful voice is silenced.

--I could go on ...

So much for 2006, the past is gone. Time to step into Shakespeare's undiscovered country and find out what the future of 2007 holds for us.